


Only if for a Night

by SunshineRue



Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: Coping, Drabbles, Grief, Nancycentric, Nightmares, character snippets
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-19
Updated: 2017-01-19
Packaged: 2018-09-18 13:26:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 486
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9387179
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SunshineRue/pseuds/SunshineRue
Summary: Crying and remembering is all she could do at least in the comfort of her own room. Forgetting would not be an option





	

_And I heard your voice_   
_As clear as day_   
_And you told me I should concentrate_   
_It was all so strange_   
_And so surreal_   
_That a ghost should be so practical_   
_Only if for a night_

 

_The forest trees, smell of rain vaguely on the ground, with hints of blood, the sound of that Monster snarling, followed by a shriek_ , " _ **Nancy**_!"

She awoke with a start, heart beating rapidly she tried to even her breathing and drown out the sound of Barbara crying out for her. Thinking of her always made her heart clench, Nancy can only imagine what Barbara must have went through, supplied only by her own nightmares; each scenario just fuels her grief.

Crying softly trying hard to not wake anyone, Nancy reflects on her memories of Barbara. She remembers how her best friend used to say her name, with fondness over her naivety, traces of sarcasm when she caught her in a lie, joy whenever they felt giddy about anything from fashion to boys even schoolwork. Most nights Nancy can only imagine her screaming now, sometimes with fear, mostly with hate. She'd hate herself too.

Sleep forgotten for now, she lightly steps out of bed, the winter chill pricking her legs like pins and needles. Nancy finds herself in front of her bulletin board, all of her pictures of herself and Barb smiling back at her. Reaching into her left drawer she takes out the last and only photograph Jonathan took of Barb. Somehow it seemed wrong to throw it away.

She vividly remembers Barb's voice from That Night with urgency and disappointment,

" _Nancy! Nancy. This isn't you_."

At that time she didn't want to be Good Girl Nancy, she just needed to be wanted, she tried to find a balance between the two, but how could she?

" _It's just, sometimes people don't say what they're really thinking. But you capture the right moment, it says more_."

Staring at Barb sitting on the dive board, looking aimlessly down at the pool. Nancy couldn't help but feel guilty that she was the reason Barb's last moment was so.....Lonely. She saw a similar loneliness in the pictures of her.

Nancy would never admit it to herself or anyone for that matter; but she did need someone there. Before it was someone to make her feel special; _wanted_. Someone who could understand her, she still needs someone to understand her, but it's to fill a different loneliness than the one she felt before. Now she needs someone to help ease her back into her normal life, sans Barb. Tears were just as common as the nightmares were, she would never let anyone know of that fact, but her guilt wouldn't go away either.

Crawling back into bed, sniffling under the blankets, Nancy counts her tears dripping on her pillow, Barb's voice echoing in her ear,

" _Just don't forget about me, once you become popular._ "

 

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this months ago after watching the series. It's inspired by the Florence and machine song, same as the title. I'm trying to get back into writing comments and constructive criticism are appreciated not demanded


End file.
